Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan further explained his reasons for leaving Blizzard in 2021. He claimed that he had long been in dispute with management before his departure and explicitly opposed the premature announcement of Overwatch 2 and the sale of heroes.
Kaplan stated that he had effectively lost control over the future development direction of Overwatch since 2018, so he could understand the criticism from players at the time regarding the game's state. According to his recollection, his disagreements with management lasted for years.
Regarding Blizzard's decision to announce Overwatch 2 in 2019, Kaplan said he explicitly opposed it at the time. The team had not yet figured out what the project exactly was, and its business model had not been determined. He also believed that announcing Overwatch 2 alongside Diablo IV made it difficult for both projects to receive independent showcase opportunities.
Kaplan also stated that management had asked the team to sell heroes, which crossed a line he was unwilling to cross. After the launch of Overwatch 2, new heroes could initially be unlocked directly through the first tier of the paid Battle Pass, while players on the free track needed to invest more time. This approach was later canceled, and new heroes can now be unlocked directly. The accounts regarding internal conflicts, management demands, and reasons for departure all come from Kaplan's personal recollections; Blizzard has not yet responded.